The iPhone X is not available until the 3 November but thieves are spamming social networks trying to get people to fall for free iPhone giveaways.

A social media security company has found 532 fake social accounts - including ones on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube - and is warning people to be extremely vigilant.

These scams pop up on social media every year after the new Apple device has been released and this year they are targeting the much-awaited iPhone X and iPhone 8.

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A social media security company has found 532 fake social accounts - including ones on Facebook, Instagram (pictured) and YouTube - which are pretending to sell the new Apple devices

HOW TO KEEP SAFE

ZeroFOX recommends users to be extremely vigilant - especially at this time of year.

- Hover over URLs to get a preview and check closely for impersonator URLs.

- Do not click on anything unless it has a verified blue tick.

- Always use two-step authentification on social media accounts where possible.

- Avoid downloading apps and files from social media unless you know they are trustworthy.

- Ensure anti-virus and anti-malware is up-to-date.

- Be careful who you following - following suspicious accounts increases your chances of being exposed to scams.

ZeroFOX has found a number of attacks that offer a 'giveaway' of a new iPhone which encourage users to click on an infected link, share certain content or even submit their personal details.

'The high price tag of the new devices, between $699 to $999 [£699, £999], together with the trustworthy Apple brand, makes this type of social engineering attack particularly dangerous to the average social media user', according to the Zerofox blog.

One of their tactics is fame farming, which involves creating a page that gets lots of followers, likes and shares.

'After the fake account amasses enough digital popularity, it can be repurposed to launch larger attacks or commit other fraudulent activity.

'It also could be sold on the black market to other cybercriminals', according to the blog.

Other attacks focussed on getting users' personal details which they then use to hack an account at a later date.

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'Dozens of these sites had similar redirect chains: first directing a user to a blog site, then redirecting to a fake survey which prompts users to enter personal details in order to claim their “free iPhone"', experts said.

Attackers also use social media to create a variety of accounts which increases the exposure of the attack.

ZeroFOX has found a number of attacks that offer a 'giveaway' of a new iPhone which encourage users to click on an infected link and submit their personal details

These scams pop up on social media every year after the new Apple device has been released and this year they are targeting the much-awaited iPhone X and iPhone 8

'Linking and commenting between accounts can make them appear more trustworthy from the perspective of would-be victims', experts said.

Some attacks also promised users a free iPhone to click on a URL and download software that contains malware.

'Websites like this trick users into believing that their software is out of date or scare them into believing their firewall has been disabled.'

ZeroFOX recommends users to be extremely vigilant - especially at this time of year after Apple's new releases.

Do not click on anything unless it has a verified blue tick and use two-step authentication on social media accounts where possible, ZeroFOX warns

One of their tactics is fame farming, which involves creating a page that gets lots of followers, likes and shares (left). ZeroFOX recommends users to be extremely vigilant - especially at this time of year - and encourages people not to give out any personal information (right)

Some attacks also promised users a free iPhone to click on a URL and download software that contains malware

The company recommends people hover over URLs to get a preview and check closely for impersonator URLs.

People should not click on anything unless it has a verified blue tick and must use two-step authentication on social media accounts where possible.

Researchers recommend not downloading apps and files from social media unless users know they are trustworthy.

Ensure anti-virus and anti-malware is up-to-date. Following suspicious accounts increases your chances of being exposed to scams, researchers warned.